Last Saturday (04 Oct 2008), the 6th Day of Lunar 9 Month, Singapore Long Shan Men (about 8 people), UK Taoist Taiji Group (about 15 people) and a few of our Local Taoist Scholars (about 8 people) had gathered around to visit a few local Old & Traditional Religious Places and the very night, we had also a Gathering cum Taoist Cultural Sharing Seminar at a Function Hall located at Race-course Road.
On that Afternoon at around 1.00Pm, our UK Taoist Taiji Group led by my Taoist Brother Mr Matt arrived in Singapore and after their Check-in into the Hotel, our Taoist Cultural Tour officially started at 2.30Pm.
First Temple that we visited was located at Geylang Lor 27A, which was known as Ling Yun Dian aka Leng Hoon Dian (凌雲殿). This was an Old Temple that our Taoist Scholar Mr Victor Yue’s Mother served and stationed in.
At about 3.00Pm, we arrived at the Temple and after meeting up with the owners and the members of the Temple, we started to scatter off to visit the various different areas in the Temple and of cos, the most attractive area that we always like to advise and encourage people to visit was the 2nd Level Hall that dedicated to Jade Emperor of Heaven (玉皇大天尊).
After the disciples of Bro Matt entered into the 2nd Level Hall, they went to pay respect to Jade Emperor of Heaven and the other Deities that accompanied Jade Emperor of Heaven.
Upon completion of the paying of respect, we mingled around in the Hall and of cos, a few quick and brief introduction were being done in the Hall to do some clarification and explanation of the different Deities that could be seen in the Hall.
At about 4.00Pm, we left Ling Yun Dian to visit the next Temple, which was my Old Temple, Wan Shou Shan Tee Kong Temple (萬壽山天公廟) located at Telok Blangah Height (the Owner of the Temple, Mr Lee, was also invited to join in this Joyous Occasion).
On our Way to the Tee Kong Temple, another Religious Brother known as Chan called up and informed us that he and a special Guest were be waiting at the Temple. And upon arriving at the Temple, Bro Matt and I were more that delighted to know that the Special Guest was Dr Leon Comber – a Popular and Famous Author and Senior Researcher on Chinese Culture.
After a quick introduce and recalling of who I am, Dr Leon Comber finally remember who was I, what a Close-relieve….
Again, paying of respect to the Deities were more important then other issues, so all our UK Taoists and Long Shan Men students went around in the Temple to make their respect and after the paying of respect, it was time for me to led my students to make an Unformal-Official Respect to Jade Emperor of Heaven and other Deities in the Temple.
After the respect-making, it was my Uncle’s task to perform the necessary Blessing for the UK Taoists.
Due to time restriction, the Individual Blessing had to change to Group Blessing and so my Uncle had to compromise with our request. Within 10 minutes, the Blessing was done and we proceed to visit another Local Folks Culture Group located in Chinatown Area.
Upon arriving at the Folks Culture Group’s Premises, we were being welcomed by the Leader and the members of the Group and special local food items were being prepared for our UK Taoists.
After the enjoying of the local food items, we needed to proceed to the next station, which was an Indian Restaurant located at Race-course Road. Once immediately after we arrived at the Restaurant, our Taoist Brother Mr Victor Yue ordered a Good Feast of Indian Food for our UK Taoists and after trying, all of them loved the food and was quite satisfied with the food.
And soon after the Dinner, our Sharing seminar started in the Function Hall that located just above the Restaurant.
The seminar started at about 8.30Pm and the whole session last for about 2 hour 30 minutes.
During the seminar, I was invited by Bro Matt to do a quick and brief introduction on various Taoist Culture, Deities and the latest hottest topic – The Big Bang Theory.
Soon after my sharing, it was Bro Matt’s turn to do introduction and experiments on the Taiji Skills. And again, another round of highlight of the Night started with all the physical & actions stuffs.
Time flies and it was getting late and so, we had to call for the day. After the seminar at Race-course Road, our Bro Matt brought his disciples to Bao Chi Gong (保赤宮) situated at Magazine Road to pay their respect to Lord Kai Zhang (開漳聖王) and to meet up with the Uncle that mend the Temple. Due to having Ritual on the next Morning, I had to apart with them and leave with my students.
As discussed and promised made with the UK Taoists, we hoped to have another round of Seminar next year and hope that more people will be able to join in.
Last of all, thanks to those who had made their effort to join in the Tour and Seminar and also, to thank those who had made the necessary arrangement for this Tour and Seminar to take place.
PS: More pictures will be posted soon.
In the following are the 2nd Batch pictures taken on the Dotting Ceremony on last Sunday.
Pic 1 - to do cleaning on the new statues before Dotting.
Pic 2 - to report and invite Deities
Pic 3 - to enhance the Mirror before using
Pic 4/5 - to cleanse the Water for using
Pic 6 - to direct the Positive Energy into the statue
Pic 7 - to enhance the Positive Energy that being directed into the statue
Pic 8/9 - to usher the Deities onto the Main Altar
Pic 10 - to chant the Taoist Scripture for the newly Dotted statues
Pic 11 - Fire Flame burst out suddenly from the Cleansing Urn
Pic 12 - the Traditional Offerings
A Year had passed and this time Round, Long Shan Men has usher in the Third Batch of Students who show Keen, Interest and Faith in learning our Upright Taoist Culture and Spiritual Skills.
This time round, 1 of the students of older Batches was being Officially accepted as the Official Disciple of Long Shan Men (正式入門弟子), his Official Title is known as Li Xiang Jun (禮祥君), Zheng Yi School Taoist Title known as Luo Chang (羅昌).
This Year, besides the normal Taoists, who are keen in learning the Basic Taoist Culture and Teaching, signed up for the Spiritual Registration, quite a few of Knowledge-able students such as Feng Shui Master, Sintua Spiritual Person and other Religious People also joined in our Big Family. Really happy and appreciate their supports for Long Shan Men.
On the 9th Day of Lunar 9 Month morning at around 11.00Am, 4 new students (among the 3rd Batch) arrived in Telok Blangah Tee Kong Temple (萬壽山天公廟) to join in the Spiritual Registration Reporting.
Upon arriving at the Temple, they were being advised to pay their respect to the Deities in the Temple first and after my brief Invitation for the other Deities, the Spiritual Registration Reporting was done with the witness of the arrival of Dou Mu Yuan Jun (斗姆元君), Nan Bei Dou Xing Jun (南北斗星君) and other Invited Deities.
The whole Spiritual Registration Reporting took about an hour to complete, but due to the raining and the Wonderful food that being prepared by the Temple, we stayed in the Temple for a few hours before making our leave.
During the stay, my uncle approached me asking me whether on the 9th Day of Lunar 9 Month was a Good Day to do new Altar Settling (安神案), immediately I replied with a Big OF-COS.
And so, I was being “Kindly-Friendly Conned” to perform the Ceremony of Settling the Altar for the Right Hall.
Being able to serve the Deities and assist my Old Temple in performing such Ceremony is my Honor and Proudest thing to do and so, within any 2nd thoughts, I started to prepare the necessary items for the Cleansing and Inviting of Deities onto the new Altar.
With the witness of the Temple Owner, my Uncle and the newly joined Long Shan Men students, the Settling Ceremony started and by doing a few simple reciting of Mantras, Cleansing and Drawing of Spiritual Symbols, the Altar was being moved into Position at the Right Hall with the assistances from the new students.
After the Settling of Altar, my 2nd disciple arrived in the Temple and I was being “Conned” for the 2nd time to go into the Kitchen. This time round, a Surprise was being planned.
My 2nd disciple brought a Cake to the Temple to celebrate my Lunar Birthday.
With the accompanying of my students and my relatives in the Temple, I celebrated my Special Birthday this Year.
Really appreciate all the efforts that my students had put in.
Due to have to go for another appointment, we had to leave the Temple at about 3.00Pm.
Hope that next year, we can have more people to join in the Joyous Celebration of the Ninth Month.
In the following are the Items that the newly students got from me:
1) Official Scripture of Long Shan Ancestor
2) Registration Card (endorsed again after A Years Training, the 1st Taoist School to use this in South East Asia)
3) Lord Long Yi Spiritual Symbol Card
With the Blessing of the Ninth Month Celebration, a Dotting Ceremony was being conducted at one of Long Shan Men 36th Generation Student’s Home on the Sunday Morning (5 Oct 2008), the 7th Day of Lunar 9 Month.
At around 10.00Am, I arrived at the Premises of the student, who is known as Donnie, upon arrival, we started to do some simple and quick preparation for the Ceremony (some major preparation was being done on Friday Night).
After all the necessary preparation was done, a quick and simple reporting was being conducted and the Dotting Ceremony started.
Same usual procedure, Cleansing of Environment (淨壇), Invitation of Deities (請聖), Offering of Tea & Wine (三敬), were being carried out and last, to invite the individual Deity that needed to be enhanced into the new statues (迎神).
This time round, Xuan Tian Shang Di (玄天上帝), Yuan Tong Zi Zai Tian Zun (圓通自在天尊), Fu De Zheng Shen (福德正神), Wen Qiong Yuan Shuai (溫瓊元帥) & Tie Tou Yuan Shuai (鐵頭元帥) were being invited and requested to do enhancing on the statues.
Due to this Dotting was being done on the Ninth Month Period, a set of Traditional Dotting Skill was being used.
As usual, during the Dotting, a few Natural Changes and Spiritual Encounters happened.
At around 1.00Pm, the whole Dotting Ceremony ended and in the following, you will be able to see the statues being invited onto the newly brought Altar.
PS: More pictures will be posted soon.
Been waiting and waiting, been hoping to continue what my Ancestors & Masters had advised me on and finally, the Day had arrived.
On the Early Morning of 6th Day of Lunar 9 Month, our Long Shan Mens Altar had been set-up and by the order of my Late-Master, Dou Mu Yuan Jun (斗姆元君), Nan Bei Dou Xing Jun (南北斗星君 considered as the Only Set that can be found in Singapore, quite similar to the one that we can see in Telok Blangah Tian Gong Temple), Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling (張祖天師) and Wang Ling Guan (王靈官 my Spiritual Protector) had been invited and dotted by me.
Arriving at the Premises (a small Office that Long Shan Men had got, which is in Friend’s Company) at about 6.00Am, I started the necessary preparation and once the Clock hit 8.00Am, I started the Enhancing of the Urn (in Taoist Term known as An Lu 安爐) and followed by the Dotting Ceremony (開光點眼).
Due to the number of Statues was not large, so within an Hour, I had finished doing all the Dotting and last, to invite them onto the Newly Set-up Altar, in Taoist Term known as An Zuo (安座).
By the time I finished the Dotting Ceremony, it was time to pay our respect to the Invited Deities and also to offer our Gratitude to the Deities and so, using the Traditional Customs, 24 – 36 bowls (廿四/卅六大供) of Sweet, Sour, etc, item were prepared.
Soon, the 2nd Batch of Statues will be dotted and once they are being invited, our Altar will be considered as more or less complete and future Rituals/Ceremonies will be able to be conducted according to all the Pass-down Teachings.
PS: If you are sharp in observing Altars, you might be able to spot a difference on our Altar. Try your best to see whether you are able to spot the different.
Time flies and yesterday (4 Oct 2008), the Official Date for the Launching of our very First Official Website for Long Shan Men was being done under a Big Group of witnesses (inclusive of Professors. Lecturers, Taoists, Researchers & Taoist Scholars).
With the assistances from my Students and other Taoist Fellows from All over the World, our First Official Website of Long Shan Men was able to complete in time for the Launching on the Auspicious Double Date of 6th Day of Lunar 9 Month.
The Website is about 60% completed at the moment, so for those who didn’t really get to see or find more Information in there, please do forgive me, cos for the Moment, we are still involve in some other Events that will last till Next Week.
Why this Date is being chosen?
1stly, due to we are doing Celebrating for our Long Shan Men.
2ndly, it is in the Ninth Month Period where our Main Deities & Ancestors Enlightenment Period are just around the Corner.
3rdly, using the Double Element to enhance the Life-span of Long Shan Men and All events that come under Long Shan Men.
This Year, due to time constraint and other minor Factors, Long Shan Men is not able to have a bigger scale celebration that allows the other Members and Supporters to participate in, Jave sincerely hope that for those who are able to join in, please do forgive me.
Once the situation allows and the timing is alright, Jave will sure to invite everyone in to join the Joyous Occasion for Long Shan Men.
In here, I will like to represent Long Shan Men to express my Gratitude to those who had been giving us the very Full & Best supports over the Years. Hope that we can together, promote our Upright Culture of Long Shan Men in the coming Years.
Thank you.
Website URL of Long Shan Men Official Web:
http://longshanmen.org
This is the Final Part of the Video Clip for the Ritual.
Enjoy.
This is the 4th Part of the Video Clip.
Enjoy.
This is the 3rd Part of the Video Clip.
Enjoy.
Here's the 2nd Video Clip on the Hong Kong Ritual.
